It is known that a power cycler is a power supplying device which enables a user to remotely power cycle a machine if that machine becomes unresponsive during operation. Typically, the user connects the power cord of the machine to a power output port of the power cycler, and is capable of configuring the power output port of the power cycler (e.g., using remote communications over a network) to deliver power to the machine through the power cord, as well as to temporarily turn off power delivery to the machine through the power cord on command.
Some power cyclers have multiple power output ports to enable users to control power to multiple machines using the same power cycler. Such a device is particularly useful to software developers whose computerized platforms (powerable machines) occasionally transition into unresponsive states during testing and debugging of new software. Along these lines, suppose that a computerized platform becomes unresponsive while a software developer is testing and debugging a particular program. In such a situation, the software developer can simply send a command to the power cycler instructing the power cycler to power cycle the power output port for the computerized platform. Such power cycling resets the computerized platform and makes the computerized platform available again to the software developer without requiring the software developer to (i) physically travel to the computerized platform (which may be located in a different room within a building, on a different floor, or perhaps even within a different building) and (ii) manually power cycle the computerized platform in person.
It is also known that a terminal server is a communications routing device which enables users to remotely communicate with the computerized platforms through their serial console ports. Typically, the users connect respective serial communications lines of the serial console ports of the computerized platforms (e.g., RS232 serial cables) to individual communications ports of the terminal server. The users then are able to enjoy secure communications to the serial console ports of the computerized platforms (e.g., the users are capable of sending certain trusted commands to the serial console ports) without having to be at the computerized platforms in person, i.e., without having to communicate with the serial console of each computerized platform through a dedicated local terminal.